An Earring is a piece of jewelry attached to the ear via a piercing in the earlobe
or another external part of the ear (except in the case of clip earrings, which
clip onto the lobe). Earrings are worn by both sexes, although more common
among women, and have been used by different civilizations in different times.
Earring components may be made of any number of materials,
including metal, plastic, glass, precious stone, beads, wood, bone and other materials.
Earrings are thought to have originated in Asia and the
Middle East. Both hoop and pendant earrings have been found that date
back to about 2000 BC. Pierced earrings date back to ancient Egypt around 1500
BC.Earrings were always a sign of wealth and prosperity, as only affluent women could afford the precious metals of which earrings were made.
Throughout the Dark Ages and the Middle Ages women were usually poor to own earrings and up until late in the Renaissance, earrings were looked upon as flashy and inappropriate for proper women.
Earrings became popular again in 17th century by Europe as
styles changed and new ideas were adopted.
Queen Victoria set a trend in the 19th century Europe with her
long, jeweled earrings. By the middle of the 20th century, earrings of all
shapes and sizes were more popular than ever, though there was a clear
distinction between more conservative earrings worn during the day, and the
more ostentatious earrings worn in the evenings. In the 1970s, pierced earrings
gained popularity and at the same time, styles merged and were no longer
segregated to either day or night wear. While the popularity of earrings has
risen and fallen over the years, they have always been a part of fashion.
Type of Earrings
Earrings are more than just decorative jewelry for the ear
lobes; they represent style, flair, and the way a person sees himself.
Earrings are available in two basic types, pierced and clip-on, and from there they branch out into a
wide variety of shapes and styles.
Of pierced earrings, popular styles include simple studs,
posts with dangling objects hanging off the front, and posts which hold either
a round hoop or hugged-style earring.
Many pierced earrings attach to the ear with a wire running
through the earlobe rather
than a post.
Clip-on earrings lost much of their popularity when pierced
earrings shot into style in the 1970s, but have since made a comeback in the
last decade.
Clip on earrings are just what the name implies: rather than
attaching to the ear with a hole through the earlobe, they clip on with a
spring attachment or screw-in post.
Earrings can enhance a hair style,
dangling down with flowing long hair or accentuating a short bob.
Leverback earrings
Leverback earrings are a kind of earrings with a hook that fits through a pierced ear and meets with a clasp on the back side of the earlobe.
Even though there are various ways in which leverback
closures can be used in jewelry design, there is one silhouette typically
connected with this closure. This silhouette includes a leverback closure from
which a single jewel or bauble hanging right below their earlobes. These jewels
or ornaments might be pearls, glass beads, faceted semi-precious stones, and
faceted precious stones.
There are a few variations that have to do with the closures
that define leverback earrings. In some cases, the embellishments may be fitted
into the front of the leverback closure. In other cases, the closure itself is
plain and contains a small loop at the bottom. This loop is positioned to fit
just below the earlobe. From this loop, chains, beads and be hung.
Stones that are fitted within settings can also be hung from
this loop. This kind of leverback closure is the most common kind that is found
in stores that sell jewelry-making supplies. This is because this kind of
leverback closure allows for the most design variation.
Clip Earrings
Clip earrings are designed to be worn by people with
non-pierced ears and by those who can't wear heavyweight pierced earring
styles. Clip-on earrings come in a variety of styles and there are several
different backing options. Traditional designs have a hinged back so they can
simply be snapped in place on the earlobe. Less common varieties include those with screw-on backs or
magnetic backs.
People who choose not to have their ears pierced are prime
users of clip earrings. They are a good choice for those who are undecided
about piercing or want to see if they enjoy wearing earrings before piercing.
Clip-on earrings can also be worn if the appearance of a second or third
piercing is desired, or to get an idea of how multiple piercings would look.
Even people with pierced ears may choose to opt for clip
earrings on occasion, if the piercing is infected or if a particular earring
style can only be found in a clip-on version. Very heavy costume earrings often
feature clip-on backs as well, because heavy earrings can cause pain or injury
if worn through a piercing. Most vintage rhinestone and paste jewel earrings are clip earrings, usually with a
screw-on back. Hoop and chandelier style earrings rarely come in a clip-on version.
Backing styles for
clip-on earrings vary. The most common type is the basic clip-on hinge that
holds on to the earlobe and can be removed by releasing the hinge. This is the
most popular, easy to wear earring back. Screw-on backs feature a post that
resembles a metal screw; twisting the post secures the earring to the earlobe.
Magnetic backed earrings can be worn on the earlobes, the upper ear, or on on
the nose if the magnet is small enough.
All types of clip-on earrings are cared for based on the
materials they are made from. Earrings featuring pearls and opals should be
kept in a velvet-lined pouch when not in use. Costume clip-style earrings made
from base metals can be stored on an earring tree or rack, or placed in a
jewelery box. Clip earrings made from precious metals are rare, but should be
cared for based on the metal they are made from.
Sleeper earrings
Sleeper earrings, also frequently called starter earrings,
are designed to be worn by people who have had their ears pierced for the first
time. They are named as such because they must be worn around the clock, which
includes during sleeping time. Most of these earrings have a smooth front with
unusually short posts and screw on backs. Sleeper earrings are additionally
often made of hypoallergenic metals, such as sterling silver,
gold, or surgical steel.
Once the ears have healed completely from the piercings, these earrings can
typically be replaced by other types.
Post Earrings
Post earrings are a style of earrings with a straight post
that goes through the ear and a removable backing to go over the post and hold
it in place at the back of the ear. This is as opposed to hook earrings, which
are thin wires that go through the ear, but typically do not feature a backing.
Post earrings are the type of earring that one wears when first getting the
ears pierced, because they are simple and go straight through the earlobe,
allowing the new hole to heal properly.
Stud earrings
are not synonymous with post earrings; studs are earrings that do not extend
below the earlobe. Some post earrings may have a post backing, yet still dangle
below the earlobe similar to earrings on a curved wire. Stud earrings might
also be referred to as "beginner earrings," but these will typically
be very small and will not go below the earlobe. Usually getting one's ears
pierced entitles one to a free pair of post earrings.
Stud earrings are a kind of earrings made up of a small
component that fits onto the earlobe and does not dangle down from the earlobe.
While the size of stud earrings can vary quite a bit, earrings that extend
beyond the perimeters of the earlobes are not generally thought of as stud
earrings. One of the identifying features of stud earrings is the way in which
they are fitted onto the ear. In almost all cases, these kinds of earrings are
affixed to the ear with a post rather than a hook. The material used to make
these kinds of earrings and the shape of these materials can vary quite a bit.
There are many cases in which stud earrings are made as part
of a jewelry set that includes a necklace. As stud earrings are rather small as
earrings go, they are sometimes paired with large, extravagant necklaces. This
is done so that the ears are a bit accented, but the necklace is the featured
item. In other cases, the necklace is a bit more demure and the entire look is
meant to be elegant, yet understated.
Chain Earrings
Chain earrings are a kind of earrings that use one or more
strands of metal chain to create a dangling, linear silhouette. These kinds of
earrings can be made of many different kinds of metals which may have a variety
of finishes. They can vary quite a bit in length and may or may not include
other components such as gem stones, semi-precious stones, enamel charms, and
metal components of other shapes. Chain earrings may be designed with a number
of kinds of hooks and posts, depending on the intended look of the earrings and
whether they are made for people with pierced ears. In some cases, they may
have a second section that connects to a small cuff that fits around the upper
part of the ear.
It is quite common for chain earrings to have colored
components added into their designs. These components may be made out of stone,
pearls, glass, or even plastic. One common silhouette involves a round
component such as a pearl or bead that fits right under the earring hook.
Hanging from this component are one or more lengths of chain. In other cases,
smaller components such as rhinestones may be connected to the bottoms of each
chain.
Dangle Earrings
The term dangle earrings can be used to refer to any number
of earrings that are affixed to the ear by a post or hook and include
components of metal, stone, glass, resin, or plastic that dangle down from the earlobe. The length of dangle earrings can vary quite a bit. Some
of them hang to a length that stops just below the bottom of the earlobes.
Others are quite long and reach to the tops of the shoulders, or even past the
shoulders. These very long kinds of dangle earrings are sometimes referred to
as shoulder sweepers because they brush across the tops of the shoulders while
the wearer moves.
Dangle earrings may have one or more strands that hang down
from the earlobes. A very simple pair of dangle earrings may be made up of a
simple metal chain that hangs down from a post that holds the jewelry onto the
ears. In more complex examples, there may be multiple strands and theses
strands may be quite embellished. The chains hanging from the lobes may be
accented with rhinestones, beads, or enamel charms.
It is most common for women to pair dangle earrings with
evening wear and gowns. This is because dangle earrings are often rather
dramatic and are reserved for dramatic outfits, which are generally worn in the
evening. If the dangle earrings are quite long, large, and embellished, they
may be coupled with a very understated necklace. Alternatively, a woman may
wear these kinds of earrings with no
necklace at all.
In recent years, these kinds of earrings have been
incorporated into day wear. This is especially true for edgy, modern, and urban
looks. For this reason, a number of companies that specialize in trend fashion
now sell long, dangling earrings as part of their seasonal lines. The colored
components in the earrings usually correspond to the season with deep, moody
tones in the fall and brighter colors in the spring.
Chandelier Earrings
